4
POPSRecords show McCain was NO Hero Here's some readin for all you hero worshippers to chew on. See the truth about this war criminal for once. Even as he was bein shot down he made sure he delivered his bombs on the people of Vietnam ...and got a medal for it. urrrrg.
9
POPSCigarette Tax Burnout In New York City and State, tobacco taxes have been raised so many times that the retail cost can exceed $9 a pack -- about double the national average. Few budget-savvy smokers in the Big Apple pay that tax. Patrick Fleenor, an expert on tobacco taxes at the Tax Foundation, estimates that there is "now a 75% gap between cigarette sales in the city and cigarette consumption." In other words, three out of four cigarettes are bought elsewhere or are contraband. In New Jersey, about 40% of the Marlboros and Virginia Slims that are lit up escape the $2.57-a-pack tax. In Washington State, evasion was so rampant that the legislature decided in 2005 to lower the 75% tax on cigars and other tobacco products as a way to raise revenue and help state retailers.
2
POPSPeace Talks Yet Israel Dramatically Expands Settlements Although peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in the West Bank resumed in Annapolis MD, Israel continues to expands its illegal settlements in the West Bank. It's contrary to the Geneva Convention to transfer part of a conquering nation's population into territories occupied because of a war. Over 200,000 Israeli settlers violate international law every day in the West Bank, yet Israel continues to expand the settlements. If Israel wanted a better way to sabotage the peace process, then it would be hard put to find a better means than expanding the settlements. Yet the present Israeli government claims it has done more to reduce settlements than any other administration. A 90% increase is supposed to be a better record. What a joke.
3
POPSSaudis Pushing U.N. Démarche Against Israel The dispute over oil appears to be part of a larger rift between the two countries, with a London-based Al-Quds al-Arabi reporting recently that relations have reached their lowest point in years. The Saudis seek strong American backing against Iran," Mr. Gold, a former Israeli U.N. ambassador who has written extensively on the kingdom, said. "They don't want to hear from Condi Rice about diplomatic progress between Abbas and Israel. They want to know what America is doing about Iran." The Saudis, he said, base their policies on their strong alliance with America — or on Arab consensus. When the Israeli government earlier this month announced that it was planning to build nearly 900 new housing units in Jerusalem, ecretary-General Ban issued a strong statement: Israel's "continued construction in settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory" violates international law and Israel's obligations under the road map and the Annapolis process.
2
POPSIsraeli Housing Minister to permit 1460 new housing units in East Jerusalem settlements I find it odd that more Jews of good will do not stand up against all that is done in their name. Many KNOW how wrong this is, but far too many are silent. Silence to oppression is complicity. Thus, it looks as if the full-time job of Jews is stealing. Every time you look up, there is a Jewish name connected to stealing mega-millions in land, money and extracting favors from the suckers of America. I know there are many Jews who are appalled at the blatancy and frequency of the abuse by Israel's Jews, but who remain silent, lest they be labeled "self-hating Jew." SPEAK UP. SPEAK UP. SPEAK UP. What Israel does to Palestinians is as bad as anything anywhere at any time in all of human history.
1
POPS800 lb Gorillas Since I've been on this earth there has been conflict here. I applaud any efforts to bring peace but know that it is failed from the start if Israeli complicity in exacerbating the situation with their expansionism is acknowledged and brought to a halt.
16
POPSJews against Zionism I have clipped this not to promote a point of view but to offer those who care to know the many strands of perspectives on Israel an opportunity to go and look at some sites that explain that by no means all Jews support the state of Israel or its Zionist ideology.
2
POPSBundeskanzlerin Angela Merkels Rede vor der Knesset (im Wortlaut) Merkel stressed that the German government supports the Annapolis peace process . "Germany stands firmly behind the vision of two states within secure borders and living in peace, for both the Jewish people in Israel and the Palestinian people in Palestine." Germany, Merkel said, would "never abandon Israel, but instead will remain a loyal partner and friend." As in the past, Merkel's speech contained only homeopathic doses of criticism of Israel's occupation policy and its hesitation to commit itself to the peace process. "One must also have the strength to make painful concessions," the chancellor hinted, only to quickly dilute what had sounded like the beginnings of a rebuke. "In order to be a realist you must believe in miracles," she said, quoting David Ben Gurion, the founder and first prime minister of the State of Israel. spiegel.de
1
POPSEgypt and Saudi Arabia snub Syria Syria "may attempt to introduce more conditions to the peace proposal and weaken Arab resolve around it," said Safa. "The danger of Saudi and Egypt downgrading their representation is that Syria will be left to dictate the summit's agenda on its own."
4
POPSAl Qaeda Leader To Bush: 'We Will Be Waiting For You' Gadahn made reference to November's Annapolis conference of Middle Eastern leaders, saying it was a gathering of Bush's "loyal puppets." He said the United States has been "unmistakably defeated" in Iraq in Afghanistan and has lost the battle for hearts and minds "in spectacular fashion." In his newest dramatic gesture, Gadahn tore up his U.S. passport in protest of the imprisonment of fellow al Qaeda followers Abu Zubaydah, John Walker Lindh and Sheikh Omar Abdul Rahman. "I don't need it to travel anyway," he said afterwards.